I never thought I’d see this place again –
You’re the only one I know who’d take me here!
She laughed with a giddy carefree delight.
I laughed too … but less carefree …
Aware both of her pleasure
And of the briars
Clawing at the side
Of the new car
Given by a husband
Eager to distract her
From the dying.
Are you sure there’s a place
To turn around?
The ruts were disturbingly deeper
The grass noticably higher.
Oh yes, she gaily reassured me.
I was not reassured.
Would I have to traverse
This winding path in reverse?
A worrisome thought.
The woods were lovely and deep
Busily attending Autumn’s work
Scarcely noticing
These two women
Being slowly swallowed.
As promised the clearing emerged.
The wheelchair appeared
And I lifted, pivoting her on
Wasted useless legs
And plopped her down.
Again she laughed,
Delighted at having arrived
And so, too, did I …
Relieved at having arrived.
There we sat
On this secret knoll
Cousins,
Known to each other
For more than half a century.
Sat and savored …
The bite of the wind off the lake,
The beauty of a sunset in the making,
Her final visit to this magic place.
We gave thanks
For what we had …
And were about to lose.
The joy of being irresponsible
In the company of each other.
– jml (1999)
